December 23, 2012

After trying the YGK X-3 Soul I got pretty much hooked with the braids produced by this amazing Japanese Company. I think YGK is a step ahead in term of braid quality and this something I also heard around anglers when I was in Tokyo.
Anyway, I had the chance to buy a nice spoolf of YGK JigMan WX4 for my new Biomaster SW reel. I was looking for a 2PE capable of dealing with medium heavy fishes and this was the best choice in terms of quality/cost ratio.
I took some photos to share in my blog. The line is a 30LB , 4 strand PE line that comes with 5 colors (10mm for color). The reason is (as the name says) that this braid is originally designed for vertical jigging but there is no problem in using for casting setups.

The spool is the famous DOUGHNUT. It allows easy spooling.

The strands are quite tightly woven and the line appears thin for a 30LB breaking strength. The line doesn't look very slick (as the Slick 8 by Power Pro) but it gives you more confidence and looks to be more resistant to fraying.
Anyway, only time and repeat casting will give better idea about the quality of this line.

Same four-strand Super PE base line as conventional Jig Man with compacted braiding for high durability and strength stability. Highly sensitive, all-around economy jigging line also suitable for casting. Specialty sheath processing for reduced friction with guides and resistance during reel-out. High performance for beginners and pros alike. New five-color (10m interval) version.

December 21, 2012

Well, I love pencil and top water lures in general. I got pretty excited when I saw DUO testing some nice prototypes. I am sure these lures will be a great success and already looking forward to see more developments and detailed specs. They are testing them with Jerremy, who is an expert angler, and looks very promising. Here is what he says about the lures:

"I was plesantly suprised during their first swim test, with some of the lures swimming idealy, casting distance and posture stable. Not bad at all for a first sample!! This can be credited to the experience and skill of DUO lure designers, Mr. Adachi and his apprentice Mr. Sasaki. Its not everyday that you see a first prototype lure get the "thumbs up". "

The specs are still secret but we are talking about 140-180mm lures.
Also make sure you check Rusty's blog for better scoop photos.

December 16, 2012

Here is the first look at the new Daiwa reel.
There are two brands that I use for my fishing and I think they are the best brands the market offers. I am talking about Daiwa and Shimano. From bottom to the top of the range they offer products that can satisfy the needs of all the anglers.
I found out about the Procyon while browsing the Daiwa US website.

Minimal Design. Vivid Color. The box is cool.

Usually Daiwa US introduces a couple of models every year. According to the model list and the latest "retirements" I think that the Procyon is a model that is replacing the old Team Daiwa Advantage. The price range is the 150$ and the specs a pretty much similar. What is so special about the Procyon? It is basically a toned down version of the Ballistic which is comparable to the more famous Daiwa Freams for the Japanese market. The Procyon comes with some features that I was looking in a medium priced reel. Aluminum body and a lighter rotor.Already an user of the old TD Advantage I was happy to see a similar body material plus the benefit of having a rotor made with the revolutionary Zaion material.

The detail of the spool is quite good. Trying to look like a Certate.

Hera are the specs taken from Daiwa's page:

Narrow, rigid aluminum “HARDBODYZ” body design

My Comment:
This is a "classic" feature found in Daiwa reel. I think aluminum is still a great option if you are looking for some rigidity.

Three CRBB corrosion resistant ball bearings plus roller bearing

Corrosion-proof Zaion body cover
My Comment:
With the main body in aluminum, having a Zaion cover is a plus. The real stress is on the reel foot so no problem here.

Air Rotor for lighter weight and greater sensitivity

My Comment:
The use of Zaion for the rotor is a great plus. It shaves some weight. I am actually not that picky on the weight issue. I use my rods to balance my reels according to length and size. If the balance is OK I don't mind those 20 grams shaved off the reel.

Lighter rotor.

Detail of the rotor. The matte grey is a plus.

Air Bail®–tubular stainless for lightweight strength:

My comment:
Another feature that has been implemented for years.

I always like the think bail of the Daiwa.

Digigear

Oiled felt seal keeps water out of body

My comment:
This is something new. Need to test it and see if it holds the claim.

Sealed, water proof drag with click adjustment

My comment:
I had the same feature on other reels including the TD Advantage. It is always a plus to have a drag that will not be affected by water.

Waterproof drag is always welcome. Need to check how it performs.
The 2500H has about 4kg. of drag.

Machine cut aluminum handle

Always a great looking handle. I still wish they could make it "screw in"
model like in most medium range Shimano reels.

ABS design aluminum spool

Another proven feature. It ensures long casts.

First Impressions:

The reel is smooth and quiet. Digigear is again a plus.
I like the color choices, especially for the rotor and the "gold" trims on the spool.
I think I will be able to spool 200 meters of PE 1 line. Too bad that US models still don't have a PE line holding capacity chart.
The gear ratio is 6.0 so it is a pretty fast reel, the type I prefer for my fishing.
240 Grams is pretty much what I need to balance my Yamaga Blank Early rod.
At 150 USD I think I got myself a reliable reel for occasional medium power use. I hope to write more in the future once I spool it with my YGK G SOUL PE 1 line.

December 14, 2012

Hats off to APIA for producing some high quality fishing footage. This is something I really enjoy watching. Good camera work and an "artistic" feeling in the video. The fly fishing community is used to these kind of productions but now it is good to see the Japanese brands sharing these videos online.
Here is a new one. Seabass in Tokyo. First class!

December 11, 2012

I am really packed with stuff to review on my blog. First my trip to Tokyo, then my new Daiwa Procyon 2500 reel and my latest toy the Biomaster SW 4000XG. I am trying hard to spare some time for these posts because I want to come up with something of quality.
I got my Daiwa Procyon as a medium power reel to fill with 1.2 PE and enjoy some seabass fishing here in Turkey with the Yamaga Blanks Early.
The Biomaster SW 4000XG will be my medium-heavy reel for some fishing in the Aegean Sea. It will match my custom 8.6ft 15-58gr. St. Croix blank rod nicely. I also got some YGK Jigman4 2.0PE to fill the spool.
Stay tuned...

December 9, 2012

Here is another contest by DUO. This time they ask you to fill out a survey form that they will send you via email. There will be a draw and 5 participants to the survey will win some nice prizes ( 5 lures, a cap, a lure box and a shirt). Looks pretty simple to me!!

Here are the details:

Send an email to duocontest@gmail.com. After you send the email you will receive the survey form to fill out. Fill it out, send it back and enter automatically to the draw! Good luck to all of you!

December 6, 2012

Great news for Major Craft fans worldwide. The Japanese makes has finally opened a English page and English Facebook page. You can see some pretty photos and updates on the Facebook page and check the latest products on the page in English. This is a small but exciting spec by a rod manufacturer that has a great following especially in Europe.

December 5, 2012

A short "Happy Birthday" message to my friend Giuseppe. The UrbanCastMan blog is now 1 year old. This is a blog that is not updated on a daily basis but the posts are always a pleasure to read and see. Anytime he posts something you will be amazed by a great bonito or dentex with a lure in the mouth or an interesting report of some of his fishing expeditions in remote locations. I like the way he takes care of this blog, showing his immense passion for the lure fishing.
I have to admit that he is becoming even a nice photographer now. I wish him good luck and looking forward to reading more interesting stuff soon. Have a look here.

December 2, 2012

Found this interesting website full of fishing videos. As usual is in Japanese but when it comes to cool fishing videos the language doesn't matter that much. Please have a look at Lure Us.
Looks like it is sponsored by DUO, Breaden,Smith LTD, Anglers Republic and Owner. All brands that I actually love.

November 27, 2012

I haven't updated the blog on a long time. The work is keeping me very busy at the moment but also I had a good reason though. I spent a great vacation time in Tokyo and now I am back with some nice reports and photos. Please stay connected. There is more to come.

October 28, 2012

I spent a nice evening trying my ultralight setup and some new lure. The main idea was to see the movement and action of some new spoons, vibration lure and jigs. I wasn't expecting anyting but at the end I got a medium size Horse mackerel on the biggest lure I tried : A Yozuri Pins Minnow 7cm.
Anyway I also got an hit on a small Smith Sirasu II Jig and took some photos for my blog.

Medium Sized Aji!

I tried this new Ripple Ash 5.5 cm minnow. The snap is a Waterland Size 0.

This cure Maria Flying Diver has a great movement. Too bad I didn't catchanything.

Some lures I have tried: Trout Spoon 2g / Rapala Ultra Light Minnow

The Xesta 7g jig is very good. I landed 2 garfishes with it. The 6cm RapalaX-rap has a great action but it suffers on the casting performance.

October 26, 2012

In the beginning there was the 140mm long jerk minnow, then we saw the 150mm, the 175mm until DUO introduced the 200mm Tide Minnow Slim. It looked like we reached the limit in length but we weren't there yet. DUEL surprises us with the introduction of the 210mm Hardcore Minnow. This is thing is really long and heavy. I am sure the lon jerk lovers will be very happy to cast this lure soon. I am sharing the info and the pictures. What else can I say? Coming soon to a store near you!

This is long. Great garfish imitation if you ask me.

As always, the hardcore colors are great!

There is also a smaller 170mm version. The 210mm sinking is a hefty 38g.